This invention relates to screening machines, and more particularly to a roller for cleaning sand and gravel screens.
Spreader/dump truck vehicles are well known in the art. Such vehicles are adapted especially for the purpose of spreading road salt and sand on winter roads as well as conventional dump truck purposes, such as transporting salt, sand and other granular materials. Trucks of this type typically contain a dispensing device that sits upon the dump body of the truck. To evenly spread road salt and sand, the granular material within the dispenser must be free of clumps and extraneous material. This is accomplished by attaching a screen, either temporarily or permanently, to the top of the dispenser, thereby providing a dispenser loaded with sifted granular material. To load the dispenser, granular material is poured onto and through the screen into the dispenser within the truck body. Clumped material as well as granular material which is thicker than a predetermined thickness is prevented from entering the dispenser.
One of the drawbacks of the above system is that the screen often becomes clogged and requires a worker to climb up onto the screen to push material through or off the screen. Because this screening and truck loading usually takes place during icy conditions, the worker is in danger of falling or sliding off the screen. Since the screen may be 13 feet or more off the ground, a worker falling off the screen is subject to substantial injury. Furthermore, having a worker walking on top of the screen may damage the screen itself.